Programs and Degrees

PreK-12 Reading Instruction : Distance Learning

What is PreK-12 Reading Instruction : Distance Learning?

The University of Cincinnati offers an online certificate program in PreK-12 Reading Instruction. The certificate program is aligned with the State of Ohio's Reading Endorsement. Upon completion of the program, students may earn a Graduate Certificate in PreK-12 Reading Instruction or choose to seek the Ohio Reading Endorsement. Students seeking the Ohio Reading Endorsement must pass a state-required exam and apply to the state for the endorsement after completion of program requirements. The Reading Endorsement is added to a teacher's current teaching certificate or license. Therefore, students must have a valid teaching certificate or teaching license (ex., early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence to young adult, multi-age) to be eligible for the Graduate Certificate and Ohio Reading Endorsement.

Successful applicants:

Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university

Have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate coursework*

Have basic familiarity with computers and the Internet

*International University credits must be converted to U.S. 4.0 grading scale

Principles of Organizing a Literacy Curriculum

Advising

Once admitted into the program, students are supported by a team of advisors who address questions related to registration, the sequence of courses, and the practica.

UC Advantages and Special Opportunities

Our reading/literacy faculty conducts research and works with teachers in the schools to explore a range of literacy concerns including: emergent literacy, interactive writing, interactive read-alouds, vocabulary instruction, disciplinary literacy, and adolescent literacy. The faculty are regular presenters at national conferences and their publications appears in major journals in the field including The Reading Teacher and Language Arts.

Admission Requirements

The following are requirements for admission:

The applicant must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.

The applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 at the undergraduate level leading to the bachelor degree. The applicant who possesses a master’s degree prior to admission must have a graduate grade point average of at least 3.0 in any graduate level work undertaken before admission. All calculations are based on a 4.0 scale.

In rare instances, candidates who graduated from a non-accredited college or university or who do not meet the minimum grade point averages requirement for admission may be admitted based upon an evaluation of evidence submitted by the candidate.

Application Deadline and Procedures

Prospective students will complete the on-line application for their requested program by the posted application deadline. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials and support documents are successfully submitted. Incomplete applications will not be processed or reviewed.

Transcripts:

Providing academic records during the application process. All applicants are required to upload their unofficial transcripts during the application process. The university defines “unofficial” transcripts as transcripts that have been in the hands of students, are typically printed on plain paper, and do not have a college seal or registrar's signature. Applicants should NOT send official transcripts as part of the application process.

Providing academic records after admission. Once an applicant has been extended an offer of admission to the University of Cincinnati and has accepted the offer, s/he must submit an official transcript showing conferral of a baccalaureate degree or higher as soon as possible to the address below. The university defines “official” transcripts as transcripts that have been received from a secure, authenticated issuing institution and bears validation (e.g., a seal, logo, or watermark), including a date, and an appropriate signature. Official transcripts MUST be sent forward in their original, sealed envelope. The absolute final deadline for submission of official transcripts is one week before the start of the student’s first semester. Students will NOT be allowed to complete a full semester without providing verification of an earned baccalaureate degree or higher. Any discrepancy later found between student-provided unofficial transcripts and official transcripts will be grounds for dismissal. Official Transcripts should be sent to one of the following addresses:

Students who have received degrees from the University of Cincinnati do not need to submit official paper copies of their UC transcripts.

Students with degrees received in China

Applicants who have received degrees in China will upload their unofficial transcripts during the application process. The university defines “unofficial” transcripts as transcripts that have been in the hands of students, are typically printed on plain paper, and do not have a college seal or registrar's signature. Unofficial transcripts do NOT need to be verified at this stage of the application process.

After being accepted to join a graduate program

Applicants who have earned a degree in China must submit an English-version verification report from the China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC) of their final transcripts and degree certificates. All verification reports must be sent to the University of Cincinnati directly by the CDGDC to be considered official. No other verification will be accepted. Applicants with Chinese transcripts must contact the CDGDC after their degree is completed and request that their degree verification report be submitted directly to the University of Cincinnati. Students who request a verification report prior to degree conferral will be required to submit a second report after conferral.

Verification reports are due to the Graduate School one week prior to the start of the student’s first semester. Failure to submit verification reports on time will result in a student being placed in non-matriculated status and loss of his/her student visa status. Verification reports should be sent to one of the following addresses:

Transferring to UC Requirements

Courses taken prior to admission into the Reading Endorsement program may be eligible for transfer into the program, if taken within 5 years prior to admission. The determination of transfer eligibility is based on a review of transcripts and course syllabi. Practicum coursework cannot be transferred into the program. All transferred courses must have approval of the program faculty.

International Student Requirements

International student applicants are required to provide specific information about their transcripts or degree programs to facilitate the applicant review process, including transcript translation and evaluation by a recognized translation/evaluation agency. For a list of translation/evaluation agencies accepted by the University of Cincinnati, please contact the International Students Services office: www.isso.uc.edu; 513-556-4278.

The TOEFL must have been taken within the two-year period preceding admission. The University of Cincinnati maintains an International Student Services Office (ISSO), which serves international students attending the University. For questions regarding international student information, contact the International Student Services Office here or at (513) 556-4278.

Graduation Requirements

Program completion can occur at the end of any semester provided all program requirements have been met. This includes obtaining a minimum grade of C in each course.

All graduating students MUST apply for graduation to receive their certificates.

Be sure to meet with your advisor first to ensure your eligibility for graduation. After you have met with your advisor, please complete the on-line application for graduation by the stated deadline.

Once required coursework has been satisfactorily completed, students may take the appropriate state required exam and then apply to the state of Ohio for the Reading Endorsement.

Application Deadlines

Admission Term

Application Deadline

Notification By

Fall

7/1

8/1

Spring

11/15

12/15

Summer

4/1

4/15

Your application is not considered complete, and so cannot be reviewed, until the School of Education has received all of the following:

A statement of the applicant's academic and professional goals, approximately one page long. This writing sample will be used as one of the criteria for evaluating the application.

A resume relevant to academic and professional data. It should include the applicant's name; address; phone; email; colleges attended with degrees, dates conferred, and grade point average; employment history; professional experience; present employer; and names of references.

Two letters of recommendation from people familiar with the applicant’s academic and professional abilities. If possible, at least one letter should be from a faculty member in higher education. Those writing letters should explain who they are, their relationship to the applicant, and what they know of the applicant’s academic and professional abilities. The applicant should be prepared to provide the recommenders e-mail addresses in the electronic application. Since recommenders are not prompted to submit their letters until the electronic application has been submitted, and application fee paid, it is wise to encourage recommenders to prepare their letters in advance so that they can upload them immediately upon receipt of the prompt.

An electronic and hard copy of your current Ohio teaching license. Send the hard copy directly to Ms. Laura Dell with a note that this accompanies your electronic application (laura.dell@uc.edu) FAX: 513-556-1001; U.S. mail address below).

Notification: The program reviews the applicant's materials and informs the applicant of its decision after completing the review.

Please note: Application materials will not be returned to the applicant.

Accreditation

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

University of Cincinnati’s online certificate program in PrekK-12 Reading Instruction is is aligned with the International Literacy Association’s (2010) Standards for Reading Professionals, is approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

Gainful Employment Disclosure

Effective July 1, 2011, federal regulations published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2010 [75 FR 66665 and FR 66832] by the U.S. Department of Education require postsecondary institutions that participate in the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, to disclose to prospective students certain information about the institution's GE Programs.

Generally, GE Programs include:

At public and private not-for-profit institutions: Title IV-eligible non-degree programs (e.g., certificate and diploma programs).